Against All Odds: Ryan Reed Prepares for Historic Debut with Venturini in Sam Bass-Designed Car

Exactly one year to the date of being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards newcomer Ryan Reed is set to make his historic debut with Venturini Motorsports in next Saturday's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway.

The 18-year-old from Bakersfield, Calif. will be behind the wheel of the No. 15 JDRF/Venturini Motorsports race car for the season opener at Daytona, and Reed and his team are excited to announce support from Advance Auto Parts for his superspeedway debut.

"Racing at Daytona is a dream come true," said Reed. "Since I was a kid, I dreamed of the day I would have the opportunity to compete on the historic track. And then to go to the test with Venturini Motorsports in December and be at the top of the charts on the first day was unreal!"

Reed was diagnosed with T1D exactly one year ago - February 2011. His untimely diagnosis changed his life forever and threatened his promising racing career. After being told his racing career was over, Reed made a decision not to allow T1D to dictate his legacy behind the wheel.

Armed with the passion and determination to fulfill his dreams, Reed shifted his focus and poured all his energy into managing his health and educating himself on the disease. Reed's tenacity and ‘never quit' attitude has allowed him the good fortune to return to the race car and use his racing platform and personal story to inspire others living with T1D to continue living life to its fullest.

Reed's off-track goodwill has made him a national celebrity advocate of JDRF, the world's largest funder of research toward curing, treating, and preventing T1D and its complications.

"JDRF has an amazing group of people that are involved in the organization," he said. "We've been working with them locally, and on a national level more recently. I feel like part of the family whenever we do events together. I just feel so fortunate that I can inspire others and create such a positive atmosphere after being diagnosed with a lifelong disease."

Today, Reed is only one of three professional race car drivers in the world to compete at the highest levels of racing with T1D. Indy Racing League driver Charlie Kimball was diagnosed with T1D in 2007. The two drivers not only share the same circumstances but also share the same doctor, Dr. Anne Peters, M.D., of the USC Clinical Diabetes Program in California.

Reed's partnership with JDRF will be prominently on display when his JDRF-themed racecar is unveiled next week when the ARCA Racing Series returns to Daytona. To commemorate this historic moment, Reed teamed up with NASCAR's first officially licensed artist and design icon, Sam Bass, to create the paint scheme for Reed's JDRF car. Although Bass has designed hundreds of paint schemes for many of today's NASCAR superstars, the JDRF project with Ryan Reed has a very personal meaning to the motorsports artist. Like Reed, Sam Bass is also living with T1D. He was diagnosed in 1992.

Bass used this opportunity and his heart to design a show piece and leave his personal imprint on this project to help create more awareness to JDRF and the millions of people affected by this lifelong disease.

"I am thrilled to be working with such a talented, young, up-and-coming driver as Ryan Reed," Bass said. "His partnership with JDRF has a tremendously special meaning to me, as I also have type 1 diabetes, and have dealt with the disease all of my life. I can relate firsthand to the goals and initiatives JDRF has set to help people living with diabetes, and to find a cure. JDRF does very impactful work, and I am extremely proud to assist them in their marketing efforts with the Venturini Motorsports team and Ryan."

While November is the official National Diabetes Awareness Month on a worldwide initiative, February marks a significant month for diabetes in Ryan's life. Ryan was diagnosed with T1D in February 2011 and one year later, he will be running the JDRF-painted racecar for the first time at Daytona International Speedway in honor of everyone that is affected by T1D.

Practice for the season-opening race starts at 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 16, while Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell takes place at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 17. The race, scheduled to be televised live by SPEED, is Saturday, February 18, at 4:30 p.m.